Pipe joint sealing compound



Patented Dec. 30, 1952 7 PIPE JOINT SEALING COMPOUND Lester Aronberg,Chicago, Ill.

No Drawing. Application May 3, 1948,

Serial No. 24,921

10 Claims. 1

My invention relates to pipe joint sealing compounds and is particularlyconcerned with the production of such compounds in a form which issimple to use and which possess marked advantages over known productsused for this purpose. This application is in part a continuation of mycopending allowed application, S. N. 613,011, filed August 27, 1945, nowabandoned.

It'has heretofore been common to utilize liquid or pasty pipe jointsealing compounds, the same being applied to the pipe threads by meansof a brush or by extrusion through a tube. Such liquid or pastycompositions are messy to handle, are wasteful in use, and possess otherobjectionable characteristics with which those versed in the art arefamiliar. Other known pipe joint sealing compounds contain lead or otherinjurious ingredients and, apart from other objections thereto, suchcompounds are not desirable because of the health hazards which theyintroduce. While it has also been proposed to produce pipe sealingcompounds in the form of solid products, such compounds areunsatisfactory in that they lack softness when applied to the pipethreads and thus require too long a period of time to cover the threadarea. Moreover, they are, in general, greasy and are diflicult or messyto handle. v In accordance with my invention, the various objectionablefeatures which have heretofore characterized pipe sealing compounds areovercome. The pipe sealing compounds of my present invention are solidat ordinary or room temperatures and at summer temperatures and,therefore, they may be readily fabricated and maintained in the form ofa stick or pencil, thereby greatly facilitating the use thereof. Wasteis prevented since substantially the exact amount of compound needed toinsure perfect sealing may be applied in a simple manner, it beingnecessary only to rub the sealing compound across the pipe threads inthree or four places around the circumference or periphery thereofwhereupon the compound spreads and fills the threads when the pipe endsare turned in the unions, elbows or the like.

The pipe joint sealing compounds produced in accordance with myinvention are, moreover, characterized by lack of greasiness oroiliness. Undernormal conditions, the pipe sealing compounds, forexample, in the form of sticks or pencils, have a dry, thin surface filmor skin resulting from oxidation of the surface by contact with the air.This film forms a barricade or or layer, impervious or substantiallyim-l pervious to the passage of air or other gases therethrough andrenders the exterior surface dry so that handling of the same is simpleand convenient with no attendant messiness. When the stick is used, itis rubbed against the pipe threads and the thin surface skin is therebyreadily removed by the resulting abrasion so that the under surface orinterior or body of the compound may be spread on the pipe threads inthe manner previously pointed out. When the stick is not in use, thepreviously exposed portion of the compound again forms a skin, after aperiod of time, due to the contact with the air and insures again thatthe exposed surface is dry to the touch.

The pipe joint compounds produced in accordance with my presentinvention may be used for all types of metal and plastic threads. Theiruse assures tight joints which are unaffected by air, water, steam,acid, gas, brine and the like. The pipe thread joints, nuts, bolts,gaskets, turnbuckles and the like are thoroughly lubricated and sealedand the thread life is greatly increased. Rusting is prevented and thejoints may be easily taken apart even after months or years. Thecompounds contract or expand as the case may be with the pipes and havethe property of withstanding vibration, deflection and pressure. Thepipe sealing compounds prepared in accordance with my invention arealways ready for immediate use and are free from objectionable dryingout characteristics.

In general, the pipe joint sealing compounds of my present inventionutilize a mixture of a Waxy material having a melting point of at leastabout degrees F. and ranging up to about 200 degrees F., anair-oxidizable film-forming material in the form of an aliphaticcarboxylic acid containing at least 12, and preferably 18, carbon atoms,and at least two double bonds, or deriva-'- tives ofsuch acids, and afiller. These ingredients are combined in certain proportions, ashereafter pointed out, to produce a solid mass at ordinary roomtemperatures. In addition to the primary ingredients referred to above,certain supplemental agents may be utilized as, for example, dryingaccelerators, and oxidation retarding agents.

In order that those skilled in the art may more fully understand thenature of my present invention, the following examples are set forth asexemplifications of pipe sealing compounds falling within the scope ofmy invention. It will be appreciated that these examples are onlyillustra- 'tive and are in nowise limitative of the full scope of myinvention.

Numerals in the right-hand column indicate parts by weight.

Example 1 Paraffin wax (M. P. 139-l41 F.) 20 Linseed oil 25 Titaniumdioxide-calcium sulfate mixture containing about 30% titanium dioxide 45Example 2 Paraffin wax (M. P. ISO-152 F.) 20 Perilla oil .30 Titaniumdioxide-barium sulfate mixture containing about 30% titanium dioxide 55Example 3 Paraffin wax (M. P. 149-15l F.) 20 Linseed oil 25 Talc 4 Beeftallow '4 Cobalt acetate .05

Example 4 Hydrogenated cottonseed oil (M. P.

140 F.) 20 Oiticica oil 24 Diatomaceous earth 40 Manganese acetate .04

Example 5 Triple pressed stearic acid (mixture of stearic and palmiticacids) 20 Soya bean oil 25 Graphite 45 Example 6 Mineral wax (M. P.1'70-,l'l,5 F.)

Linseed oil Titanium dioxide 40 Example 7 Mineral wax (M. P. 1'701'75F.) 10 Linseed oil Cobalt acetate 05 Calcium carbonate (precipitatedchalk) 50 Example 8 Mineral wax (MJP. 180 F.) 10

Perilla oil l Blanc'fixe (precipitated barium sulphate) 60 Example ,9

Mineral wax (M. P. 200 F.) 10 Linseed oil 50 Titanium dioxide '60Example l!) Mineral wax (M. P. l'701'75 F.) 10 Linseed oil 25 Finelydivided diatomaceous earth 10 Titanium dioxide l Coloring matter may beadded in each case as already described; any other drying oil maybesubstituted for linseed.

In general, the higher the melting point of the wax, the larger shouldbe the excess of drying oil used.

In preparing the compositions, the wax is heated to above its meltingpoint and mixed with the air-oxidizable film-forming material and. thenthe filler is worked into the mass in any suitable way, as, for example,by hand or machine mixing, by grinding or the like. The resulting liquidcompositions may then be cast into .4, forms, for example, in the shapeof sticks or pencils, and then allowed to set until they solidify.Alternatively, the mass may be allowed to solidify and then extruded orotherwise formed into desired shapes. In general, the waxy andoleaginous constituents of the compositions may be heated together toproduce a liquid mass after which the fillers and any other supplementalingredients may be incorporated inthe manner described.

The Waxy materials may be selected from a large group including, forexample, parafiin waxes, vegetable and animal waxes such ascarnau'bawax, beeswax, candelilla, and synthetic waxes such as Carbowax4000 and other similar polyethylene glycols of high molecular weight;

higher molecular weight carboxylic and fatty acids having a waxycharacter as, for example,

stearic acid, melissic acid, and the like; meltable soaps such astriethanolamine stearate; and hydrogenated animal and vegetable oilssuch-as hydrogenated cottonseed oil, hydrogenated lard oil, hydrogenatedcorn oil and the like, such oils being hydrogenated to an extentsufficient to bring the melting point up to at least about degrees F. Inall cases, the waxy materials utilized, as previously indicated, have amelting point of at least about 140 degrees F. Of particular utility,and especially preferred for my present purposes, are paraffin waxeshaving melting points within the ranges of about 140 to about degrees F.

Various air-oxidizable film-forming materials may be employed. Aspreviously indicated, such materials comprise aliphatic carboxylic acidscontaining at least 12, and particularly at least 18, carbon atoms andat least two double bonds and derivatives of such acids. Illustrativeexamples of such materials are the so-called drying oil and semi-dryingoil fatty acids, which may be derived from linseed oil, dehydratedcastor oil, soya bean oil, perilla oil, oiticica oil, and tung oil;Neofat #19 acids which comprise essentially unsaturated fatty acidscontaining 20 to 22 carbon atoms with three or four double bonds andminor proportions of other unsaturated fatty acids. Derivatives of suchcarboxylic acids are the drying oils and semi-drying oils (hereafterdenoted generically as drying oils), such as linseed oil, vdehydratedcastor 'oil, tung oil, perilla oil, oiticica oil, certain fish oils, andthe like. Such 'oils are, of course, triglycerides or, in other words,.poly-. hydric alcohol esters, completely esterified, of the drying oiland semi-drying oil fatty acids .previously enumerated. In place of thetriglycerides, partial esters with other polyhydric alcohols may beutilized as, for example, the monoglyceridcs and diglycerides of thedrying oil and semiedrying oil fatty acids as well as the partial andcomplete esters of such acids with glycols, polyglycols, polyglycerols,sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol, sorbitan, mannitan, and thelike. Other derivatives of the aforesaid unsaturated fatty acids are thesimple alcohol esters thereof as, for example, ethyl linoleate, butyllinoleate, and the like. All of such acids or derivatives thereof arecharacterized by being oxidized on contact with air to form a dry filmor skin.

The fillers are generally of inorganiccharacter and may be selected froma large group, illustrative examples of which are talc, barium sulfate,calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, diatomaoeous earth,various clay such as b-entonite, carbon black,.graphite and the like. Iprefer to employ fillers which have good covering power and which alsohave pigment properties, particularly white pigment properties, and.

I have found that titanium dioxide, as such, or in products as resultfrom its precipitation on calcium sulfate or barium sulfate and in whichthe titanium dioxide comprises of the order of to by weight, isespecially suitable. If the filler selected does not have the desiredcolor. the color may be supplied by a separate pigment.

In order to obtain satisfactory pipe sealing compounds pursuant to mypresent invention, I have found, as previously mentioned, that theaforementioned ingredients must be combined in certain ranges ofproportions. In general, for each part, by weight, of waxy materialthere should be at least about one part of the drying oil or the likefilm-forming material and not less than one part of the filler.Preferably, the drying oil or the like should be in a quantity equal totwo to five times that of the Wax, or 100 to 400% in excess as indicatedin Examples 6-9, and the filler should preferably be present inproportions not substantially less than, and may be equal to or greaterthan, the total of the waxy material and the drying oil or the like. Theproportions are such as to provide a compound or composition which isform-sustaining and soft enough to flow quickly to cover the thread areawithout having any tendency to crumble. However, as indicated in Example10, a stick, which is form-sustaining and which will produce a filmhaving sufficient body when spread, may be obtained with a filler insmaller quantities than just mentioned, where the filler is in a finelydivided condition.

Supplemental ingredients which may be utilized with advantage are dryingaccelerators and oxidation retarding agents. The drying acceleratorscomprise, for example, cobalt acetate, manganese acetate, cobalthydrate, cobalt naphthenate, or any other cobalt or manganese salt.These drying accelerators need be used in only very small proportions,for example, of the order of 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight, based on thecontent of the drying oil or the like. The drying accelerator serves toenhance the formation of a film when the sealing compound is not in use,which film, as previously pointed out, acts as a dry, protectivesurface. In order to enhance the shelf life of the sealing compounds, itis sometimes advantageous to add oxidation retardin agents so that thedrying action does not penetrate through the body of the sealingcompound. Without the oxidation retarding agents, the shelf life of thesealing compounds made in accordance with my invention is at leastseveral months. This period of time may be enhanced by the addition ofsmall amounts of oxidation retarding agents, for example, from 5% to20%, by weight, of the drying oil or the like. A suitable oxidationretarding agent is tallow, ordinary beef tallow being preferred.

The word "fi1ler as used in the claims is intended to include all thevarious pulverulent materials disclosed herein and thei variousequivalents which serve as oil absorbent and bodyforming substances inthe relation herein disclosed. As shown in the examples, such fillersmay be used in fairly wide ranges of proportions, the quantity beingreduced when the pulverulent material is in finely divided condition. Asexamples of equivalents of the finely divided diatomaceous earthmentioned in Example 10, I might mention carbon black, finely dividedrouge and bentonite, among others.

I claim:

1. A pipe joint sealing compound which is solid at room temperatures andof such consistency that it may be molded into form-sustaining shapesuitable as a self-applying implement which will retain rigidity whenheld in the human hand, comprising a homogeneous mixture of a Waxymaterial having a melting point between about 150-200 degrees a dryingoil present in a weight of about to 400% in excess of said waxymaterial,and an inorganic filler in quantity sufficient to impart bodyto: a film produced by the spreading of said compound.

2. A product as defined in. claim 1 which is in the form of a stick ofconvenient size and shape for manual application.

3. A pipe joint sealing compound which is solid at room temperatures andof such consistency that it may be molded into form-sustaining shapesuitable as a self-applying implement which will retain rigidity whenheld in the human hand, comprising a homogeneous mixture of a waxymaterial having a melting point between about -200 degrees F., a dryingoil present in a weight of about 100 to 400% in excess of said waxymaterial, and an inorganic filler in quantity sufiicient to impart bodyto a film produced by the spreading of said compound, said filler beingpresent in a proportion at least approximately equal to the total weightof the waxy material and the drying oil.

4. A product as defined in claim 3 which is in the form of a stick ofconvenient size and shape for manual application.

5. A product as defined in claim 1 wherein the quantity of the dryingoil and the quantity and the character of the filler are so adjustedthat the product, when molded in a stick, is stiff and form-retainingand will remain so when subjected to human body heat from the hand for asubstantial length of time and will, by oxidation in the air, form asubstantial protective skin.

6. A product as defined in claim 1 wherein the drying oil is present inexcess of about 150-400% over the waxy material.

7. A product as defined in claim 3 wherein the drying oil is present inexcess of about 150-400% over the waxy material.

8. A pipe joint sealing compound as defined in claim 4 in which the waxymaterial has a melting point between and 200 F.

9. A product as defined in claim 4 wherein the waxy material has amelting point of 180".

10. A product as defined in claim 4 wherein the waxy material has amelting point of 200 LESTER ARONBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,338 Great Britain Jan. 29, 1903of 1902

1. A PIPE JOINT SEALING COMPOUND WHICH IS SOLID AT ROOM TEMPERATURES ANDOF SUCH CONSISTENCY THAT IT MAY BE MOLDED INTO FORM-SUSTAINING SHAPESUITABLE AS A SELF-APPLYING IMPLEMENT WHICH WILL RETAIN RIGIDITY WHENHELD IN THE HUMAN HAND, COMPRISING A HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURE OF A WAXYMATERIAL HAVING A MELTING POINT BETWEEN ABOUT 150-200 DEGREES F., ADRYING OIL PRESENT IN A WEIGHT OF ABOUT 100 TO 400% IN EXCESS OF SAIDWAXY MATERIAL, AND AN INORGANIC FILLER IN QUANTITY SUFFICIENT TO IMPARTBODY TO A FILM PRODUCED BY THE SPREADING OF SAID COMPOUND.
 2. A PRODUCTAS DEFINED IN CLAIM 1 WHICH IS IN THE FORM OF A STICK OF CONVENIENT SIZEAND SHAPE FOR MANUAL APPLICATION.